The Reluctant Alpha (West Coast Wolves #1) - Susi Hawke Page 0,37

eyes glittering like a child meeting Santa.

Looking adorably confused, he met my eye. "Elisha, baby. I came over because I felt a wave of power through our bond. When I peeked over here, you looked like you were praying to the dead plants. And then I find this… I can't wrap my brain around it. What's going on?"

Tilting my head to the side, I listened carefully to make sure nobody was around. Matt shook his head. "Don't worry. We're completely alone. It's safe for you to talk."

I swallowed and smiled hopefully, throwing out jazz hands. "Umm… surprise? I can make magic happen."

Matt snorted so hard he started coughing. Knocking a fist against his chest, he shook his head with a rueful grin. "Not used to the desert dust again. Sorry. But also, keep in mind I already know your talent for magic. I sleep with you every night, remember?" I rolled my eyes when he wiggled his eyebrows.

"Not that kind of magic, silly. I mean, obviously. But shoot." I scratched my temple while I tried to figure out how to explain. Getting the words straight in my head, I puffed my cheeks out like a hamster and let out a gush of air before trying again.

"As you're aware, we omegas are pretty rare. What people don't know is why. My papa said the Supreme Council scratched it from our written history when the printing presses were invented and they could control the information getting out to the public. Papa claimed it was originally done to protect us. Then the practice continued to keep us omegas in our place. People who don't know our worth see us as freaky males who can give birth like a female."

"I've always wondered why such a rare kind of wolf was treated like a second-class citizen. It's never made sense to me. Even though I'm technically not your pup's sire, I love seeing your body ripe with new life. Knowing your gender doesn't make a difference in whether or not our family can grow is a miracle, in my book. But we're getting off track. I don't know how long we have before someone shows up, so I'm going to shut up and let you talk."

Laughing softly, I smiled at this wonderful man. My man. Mine. Gosh, would it ever get old to think about that?

Matt faked a cough. "I can feel your possessive affection through the bond. I love you too, little wolf. Now focus. Tell me why I'm looking at a green spot in a dead park."

"Sorry. So, yeah, whatever the reason, the end result is the same. Nobody knows the truth about omegas. I'm going to give you the bare-bones version, since we're short on time. Basically, an omega can only be born through one of two ways. Either a true mate pairing between two shifters, no matter the status of the parents. The other way is from an alpha and omega match—like my parents."

"Explains why there are so few of you. Not many of us are lucky enough to find our true mate, and without a lot of omegas available, the number of alpha and omega pairings are limited too."

Nodding, I continued. "Yes, exactly right. And since childbirth is harder on our bodies, omegas don't usually have as many children as our female counterparts. Multiples are super rare. Thankfully so because our hips aren't made to carry twins or triplets as easily as a female’s."

When I started to look around and listen again, Matt was quick to reassure me. "Don't worry, Elisha. My wolf is on alert. We'll know if anyone approaches long before they can overhear anything you have to say."

Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to tell him the freaky part. "So what nobody knows is every omega has their own special gift or talent. We don't dare let anyone in on our secret when we're already at risk of being stolen like I was. Except for true mates, who can sense it through the bond like you did. Or people we can trust. It doesn't show up until the stage between childhood and puberty. Papa was watching closely for signs of my gift so he could teach me to hide it without my father ever finding out, and I did the same with my brother Saul last year."

Matt closed his eyes as he slowly nodded in understanding. "Yet another reason why we need to save your brothers." Opening his eyes, he motioned toward the greenery. "So your